2013 UN Pledging Conference

for Development Activities

AM Meeting

Member States Announce Contributions at 2013 United Nations

Pledging Conference for Development Activities

 

Commitments Represent Steep Decline Over Those of Previous Year

Twenty-four countries pledged approximately $488 million during a Headquarters event in support of United Nations development activities primarily covering 2014.  The amount represents a decline of approximately $377 million in comparison to last year’s pledges.

Opening the 2013 Pledging Conference, Navid Hanif, Director of the Office for Economic and Social Council Support and Coordination in the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, said contributions for operational activities for development of the United Nations system were $22.8 billion.  The figure was about the same as in 2010 in nominal terms, but 6.9 per cent in real terms.  About two-thirds of contributions in 2011 were to long-term development related activities, with the remaining one third directed toward activities with a humanitarian focus.

Outlining some recent developments, Mr. Hanif said long-term funding trends were favourable, but in the short-term, the pace had slowed.  Between 1996 and 2011, total contributions to the United Nations development system more than doubled in real terms, although core and non-core funding experienced very different growth paths.  Since 2006, total funding for United Nations operational activities had grown at a slower pace than total official development assistance (ODA), indicating a declining trend in the share of total ODA being channelled through the United Nations system.  Contributions by developing countries amounted to $562 million in 2011, evenly divided between core and non-core resources.

On a positive note, Mr. Hanif noted that the funding base had broadened in the last 15 years with rapid growth in development-related contributions from multilateral institutions including global funds, non-governmental organizations and public-private partnerships.  He indicated that was the most significant funding trend of the past several years.  However, a reliance on a small number of donor countries for core funding to the United Nations development system remained a concern, with 10 countries accounting for 64 per cent of total core resources for development-related activities in 2011.

He noted that 2012 contributions to core resources of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) decreased to $846.1 million from $974.5 million in 2011, well below the 2012 revised funding target of $1.05 billion as set out in the UNDP strategic plan.

The gross contribution for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in 2012 was $971.1 million, including $437.5 million to regular resources and $533.6 million to other resources, he said.  There was a 9.1 per cent increase in total contributions from 2011 to 2012, although contributions to regular resources decreased by 2.9 per cent.  The projected contribution for 2013 amounted to $466.4 million for regular resources and $516 million for other resources.

He said that contributions from resource partners — both public and private — to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) were $3.9 billion in 2012, with core resource contributions from Governments around $601 million, reflecting a decrease of 7 per cent over 2011.  The general contribution trend was decreasing, however, with the proportion of core resources falling from 50 per cent in 2000 to the current level of one-third.  UNICEF’s current planned financial estimates projected a further decrease of $3 million, or 1 per cent, in core resources from Government partners in 2013.

He noted that 2012 total revenue for the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women) was $220.1 million, including $117.8 million in voluntary contributions to regular resources and $101.1 million earmarked contributions to other resources.  Total revenue for UN-Women decreased by 7 per cent from 2011 to 2012.  The projected contributions in 2013 for regular resources was higher than last year, however, non-core funding was expected to remain the same as last year.

Elliston Rahming ( Bahamas), President of the 2012 United Nations Pledging Conference for Development Activities, said the Conference was a unique mechanism to ensure more predictable, flexible and sustainable funding for United Nations operational activities for development.  That objective was even more compelling given the uncertainty of development cooperation.  The Conference also provided countries an opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to internationally-agreed development objectives.  He commended countries that continued to pledge a significant amount of resources despite financial challenges.

Following the statements of pledges, the representative of Kiribati said that as one of the least developed countries, Kiribati could not overlook the prominence of violence in the home, absenteeism, alcoholism, prostitution and the health problems of children.  The missing link in those items was the lack of attention given to women’s issues.  As such, her country was making efforts to include gender issues in many aspects of political life and pledged funds to the activities of UN-Women.

In closing remarks, Elhadj As Sy, Director of the UNICEF Public Sector Alliances and Resource Mobilization, said that more than 100 million children in 2012 were vaccinated against measles.  The action was essential to reducing under-five mortality rates.  Also through UNICEF’s efforts, 55 million people were supplied with insecticide-treated bed nets, almost 19 million people had access to water and nearly 20,000 children were reunited with their families after they had been separated by conflicts or natural disasters.

However, UNICEF’s revenue was based entirely on voluntary contributions, with current core resource pledges from Government partners at only $310 million, as compared to $519 million for the same period in 2012, he said.  The Children’s Fund also suffered a 7 per cent decrease in core resource pledges in 2012 compared over the previous year.  UNICEF’s efficiency was dependent on the availability of core resources, as they allowed it to maintain the flexibility to invest in underfunded sectors and react quickly in emergencies.

Antonie de Jong, Director of Resource Mobilization at UN-Women, said his organization was grateful for the pledges that were given to advance gender equality and women’s empowerment.  Despite support from Member States in the creation of UN-Women, there was the challenge that it had been underfunded.  With additional funds UN-Women would be able to strengthen its field presence and promote economic and political empowerment for women.

He said that resource mobilization was a key corporate priority for 2013, and UN-Women was pleased that Member States were stepping up in record numbers.  For 2013, there were 126 Government core pledges and eight countries were expected to contribute more than $10 million.  Despite that pledge, it was unlikely UN-Women would meet its 2013 funding target.  Mr. de Jong urged Governments to work in partnership to further deepen UN-Women’s resource base, and stated — investing in women and girls was an investment in the future for all.

Heimo Laakkonen, Chief of the Resource Mobilization Branch of UNFPA’s Information and External Relations Division, said that while the proportion ofregular contributions to total contributions remained relatively healthy in recent years, for the first time in the Fund’s history, the trend reversed in 2012, with contributions consisting of 45 per cent of regular contributions and 55 per cent of co-financing contributions.  UNFPA was grateful for co-financing resources and strongly advocated for the increase of regular resources, which afforded neutrality, promoted flexibility and enabled UNFPA to respond more effectively to the development needs of countries.

He went on to say that every day, 20,000 girls under the age of 18 gave birth.  Annually, 2 million girls under the age of 15 gave birth, many of whom would suffer long-term health and social consequences from pregnancy.  That group of adolescents was typically overlooked or beyond the reach of national health, education and development institutions, often because those girls were in forced marriages and prevented from attending school.  Their needs were immense, and UNFPA was working to uphold every girls’ right to grow up unhindered by gender inequality and discrimination, violence, child marriage and pregnancy.

Douglas Passanisi, Leader ad interim of the Resource Partnership Cluster of UNDP, said the Programme’s success depended on adequate and predictable funding.  Many traditional funding partners had gone to lengths to maintain their commitments, although other partners’ contributions had decreased.  In 2012, core contributions had decreased by $129 million over 2011.  Further decreases were expected this year as a result of exchange rates and reductions by some partners.  Strong core funding from partners was vital to deliver on UNDP’s strategic plan.

He said that UNDP was on the verge of a restructuring effort to make the organization more efficient.  UNDP was committed to demonstrating results to its long-standing partners, as well as new ones, including those in the public and private sectors.  The Fund was establishing national volunteer schemes to support United Nations efforts on the ground and increase both core and non-core resources, while promoting South—South and triangular cooperation.  UNDP would work with Member States to develop a single development agenda for post-2015 and was reaching out to citizens around the world to learn more about what they hoped from the future sustainable development agenda.

At the outset of the event, the Pledging Conference elected Mr. Rhaming as its President and Jim McLay ( New Zealand) and Admira Jorgji ( Albania) as Vice-Presidents.

It also adopted the draft report on the Pledging Conference (document A/CONF.208/2013/L.1).

Mr. Rhaming called attention to the report of the Secretary-General “Analysis of funding of operational activities for development of the United Nations system for 2011” (document A/68 97–E 2013 87); a note by the Secretary-General on operational activities for development of the United Nations system (document A/CONF.208/2013/1); and, a note by the Secretary-General on contributions pledged or paid at the 2012 United Nations Pledging Conference for Development Activities for 2013, as of 30 June 2013 (document A/CONF.208/2013/2).

The representatives of India said that the country would announce their pledges at a later date.

Delegates from China, Kyrgyzstan and Sudan also made statements but did not announce specific pledges.

Pledges Made for 2013-2014

(Converted from local currencies into United States dollars)

Singapore
UNDP	$300,000
UNICEF	$50,000
UN-Women	$50,000
OCHA	$20,000
UNHCR	$50,000
UNFPA	$5,000
G-77 Account for Economic Cooperation	$5,000
CERF	$50,000
UN Fund for International Drug Control Programme	$5,000
UNEP	$50,000
Trust Fund of the East Asian Seas	$10,000
OHCHR for Participation of Universal Periodic Review	$10,000
UN Voluntary Trust Fund for Victims of Trafficking in Persons	$5,000
New Zealand
UNDP	$8,000,000
WFP	$6,000,000
UNICEF	$6,000,000
UNFPA	$6,000,000
UN-Women	$2,500,000
UNAIDS	$1,500,000
IFAD	$1,500,000
Malaysia
UNRWA (2013)	$250,000
UNRWA (2014)	$25,000
UN-Women	$50,000
UNFPA	$15,000
Peacebuilding Fund	$50,000
Mongolia
UNDP	$17,000
UNICEF	$11,000
UNFPA	$4,000
CERF	$10,000
UN-Women	$7,000
UNEP	$1,000
Equatorial Guinea (2013-2015)
UNDP	$250,000
WHO	$100,000
UNICEF	$100,000
UNFPA	$50,000
UN-Women	$59,977
Kuwait (pledges for 2014)
UNRWA	$2,000,000
UNHCR	$1,000,000
UNDP	$570,000
UNAIDS	$500,000
OCHA	$500,000
CERF	$500,000
UN-HABITAT	$354,000
UNICEF	$200,000
UNEP	$200,000
UN-Women	$50,000
UNITAR	$20,000
UN Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture	$10,000
ICRC	$3,000,000
IFRC	$250,000
China	no figures announced
Croatia
UN-Women	$10,000
Finland (Subject to parliamentary approval)
Pledges for 2014
UNFPA	$44,957,000
UNDP	$29,480,000
UNICEF	$25,728,000
UNAIDS	$12,864,000
UN-Women	$18,760,000
WFP	$8,040,000
WHO	$7,370,000
JPO/UN Volunteers	$12,730,000
Rights of Persons with Disabilities Fund	$2,680,000
UNHCR	$9,380,000
UNRWA	$4,020,000
OCHA	$4,020,000
UNISDR	$1,072,000
UNMAS	$2,278,000
Additional funding for 2013
UN-Women	$6,700,000
UNFPA	$2,680,000
UNICEF	$2,680,000
Denmark
Pledges for 2014
UN-Women	$11,000,000
UNICEF	$33,000,000
UNDP	$60,000,000
UNFPA	$42,000,000
Pledges for 2013
UNDP	$2,700,000
UNFPA	$2,200,000
UNICEF	$1,800,000
UN-Women	$550,000
Myanmar
UNDP (headquarters)	$1,111
UNDP (local office	$679
UNCDF	$5,000
UNFPA	$206
Namibia (2014)
Perez-Guerrero Trust Fund for South-South Cooperation	$2,500
Luxembourg (2014 pledges in Euros)
UNDP	$3,752,000
UNDP (thematic)	$3,819,000
UNFPA	$3,551,000
UNFPA (thematic)	$2,867,600
UNICEF	$3,350,000
UNICEF (thematic)	$3,283,000
UNCDF	$1,608,000
UNCDF (thematic)	$804,000
UN-Women	$1,346,700
UNEP	$335,000
UNODC	$134,000
Kyrgyzstan	no figures announced
Turkey (2014)
UNDP	$3,000,000
UNDCP	$600,000
UNICEF	$150,000
UNFPA	$150,000
CPCJF	$200,000
UN-Women	$1,000,000
UNHCHR	$120,000
UNV	$10,000
UNITAR	$10,000
UN Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture	$10,000
UN Youth Fund	$10,000
UN Voluntary Fund on Disability	$10,000
UN Trust Fund for Ageing	$10,000
UN Voluntary Trust Fund on Contemporary Forms of Slavery	$6,000
UN Voluntary Fund on Indigenous Populations	$10,000
UN Fund for South-South Cooperation	$20,000
Djibouti
UNICEF	$1,000
UN-Women	$1,000
UNFPA	$1,000
UNDP	$1,000
Indonesia
Perez-Guerrero Trust Fund for South-South Cooperation	$7,000
UNCITRAL	$20,000
UNFSSC	$30,000
UNFPA	$30,387
UNHCR	$50,000
UNDP	$55,000
UNEP	$59,000
UNRWA	$100,000
UNICEF	$110,000
UN-Women	$147,000
CERF	$200,000
Russian Federation
WFP	$20,000,000
UNICEF	$1,000,000
UNEP	$1,500,000
UN Office for Drugs and Crime Prevention	$2,000,000
HABITAT	$400,000
UNFPA	$300,000
OHCHR	$2,000,000
UNDP	$1,100,000
UNIDO	$2,600,000
UNITAR	$200,000
UNAIDS	$5,600,000
UNHCR	$2,000,000
Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria	$20,000,000
Bangladesh
UNDP	$400,000
UNDP (local office)	$14,156
UNICEF	$34,500
UNFPA	$25,000
UNFPA (local office)	$3,000
UNEP	$653
UNV	$1,000
UNODC	$1,000
UN Fund for South-South Cooperation	$1,000
UN-Women	$10,500
India
UN-Women (pledged over 5-years 2011-2015)	$5,000,000
Sao Tome and Principe
UNICEF (2014)	$12,500
UN-Women (2014)	$12,500
UNICEF (2015)	$25,000
UN-Women (2015)	$25,000
Sudan	no figures announced
United Arab Emirates
UNICEF	$100,000
UNDP	$324,000
ICRC	$100,000
UNHCR	$200,000
UNRWA	$1,000,000
State of Palestine
Perez-Guerrero Trust Fund for South-South Cooperation	$1,000
Benin
UNDP	$3,500
UNFPA	$2,000
UNICEF	$2,000
UN-Women	$1,000
Agency to be announced	$1,500
Algeria
UNDP	$100,000
UNPFA	$10,000
UNICEF	$24,000
UN Convention to Combat Desertification Trust Fund	$10,000
UNEP	$10,000
UN-Habitat	$10,000
UN-Women	$10,000
UNODC	$10,000
Perez-Guerrero Trust Fund for South-South Cooperation	$10,000
Secretariat of the G-77 developing countries and China	$5,000
CERF	$10,000
UN Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Populations	$5,000
Voluntary Trust Fund for Victims of Torture	$5,000
UNITAR	$5,000
Kiribati
UN-Women	$5,000

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For information media • not an official record